So I've been drinking tea all my life, grew up on iced lipton (no sugar allowed), switched to loose @ 18 when I became a *bux barista (I never liked coffee). When I ventured from the nest I did not keep up with the always-have-a-pitcher-of-tea-in-fridge habit cause it's such a hassle with loose tea and I drink a pitcher a day easy when it's there. And I talk too much, did I mention that?

Anyhow, I just bought a hamilton beach iced tea maker. It seems kinda sacriligeous (er, sp?), but what can I say, I need to get over my coke addiction (the brown, fizzy, liquid sort) and I'm too lazy to brew a pitcher by hand every day (and yes it has to be iced, I live in FL). And it was cheaper than the bodum at *bux, so hey...

Now I need to seriously beef up my stock of tea. The only decent local place (Teavana) is an hour and a half away so I was looking online... has anyone ordered from www.khochateas.com ? They're based out of India and they have Sikkim, my current obsession, and they package their teas in the most beautiful hand-carved boxes. The tea seems cheap which makes me hesitate, but man do I want those boxes!! Lol, they'd make purty tea storage containers.

Oh, and I was wondering if anyone else out there uses an iced tea maker like mine? Any tips? Did I waste $20? Seems OK thus far, though I can see I'm gonna have to use double the amount of tea they recommend. Mmmmm...

And, hey, would anyone out there like a half-full tin (exactly 1.7oz/50g) of Rishi 100% Organic Pu-erh Ginger? I'm not into tea that bites back (not that I'm biting my tea...). I found it while digging through my teas, hate to waste it, maybe I could trade or something even?

Hi, Aurora! Glad you've found this corner . My mother has a friend who's addicted to coke (the brown carbonated kind), so I wish you best of luck getting off it. Sorry that I can't really help on the iced tea maker or the Pu-erh, but I wanted to say hi and welcome.

Hi, and welcome. There are many posts around here about both of those items (the Sunbeam and other places to by tea - including our hosts, Adagio). I don't think anyone has mentioned that particular tea site, though.

How to make iced tea: ditch the iced tea makers. Before you go to bed, put your tea in a beverage jar (super-cheap. Think 5 bucks at walmart here) with water, let it sit over night and voila. I leave mine on the cabinet. Others here can help you more on the technique, as I am very random with my tea.

well if you are going to buy, i really like most adagio teas (expection are the flavored, which for me arent flavored enough and the roobois because i hate roobios, tastes like boiled tree bark, not that i have ever had boiled tree, but its what i would expected boiled tree bark to taste like).

i digress. so yes adagio as well as rishi teas. you can get rishi teas on their site or at whole foods store.